Why they're here: Their sack attack woke up in the second half to dominate again at Arrowhead and make it a frustrating close loss for the Texans and first-time QB starter Case Keenum.

How they move down: If their offense keeps stalling beyond Jamaal Charles' and Alex Smith's running. At some point their wide receivers will need to make a big impact to maintain their edge atop the AFC.

Why they're here: The Seahawks used a New Orleans' bye to take sole possession of the NFC pole position with a dominant road victory at Arizona where they made life miserable for the entire Cardinals' offense.

How they move up: With a Chiefs' slip-up, Seattle will be right back where it started to begin the season, as Sporting News' No. 1 team and Super Bowl favorite. It doesn't get much of challenge until Week 13, post bye at home vs. New Orleans.

How they move down: They need to avoid starting slowly, especially on the road and out of their West Coast element. It's the one thing that would set up a big upset.

What's next: at Rams, where they get to tee off on Kellen Clemens in prime time, too.

Why they're here: The Broncos suffered their first loss against Peyton Manning's old team, the Colts, who worked over Manning and his receivers enough to make sure Andrew Luck and their offense didn't give up the lead. How they move up: The key upcoming games for them are in the AFC West, as they'll be tested by both the Chargers (road) and Chiefs (home) after a Week 9 bye. That can boost their standing in the entire AFC.

How they move down: If there are lingering effects of Manning getting rattled, and the defense just keeps getting gashed. It's a dangerous combination that can turn a special season into a major spoiler.

Why they're here: The Saints enjoyed a well-timed midseason bye to heal up Jimmy Graham and other key players. It also helped them work extra hard to recover from their tough first loss at New England in Week 6.

How they move up: Sure, an improved defense has been critical, but New Orleans needs to deliver some style points in the form of actual big points from the offense. It should be in even greater attack mode down the stretch.

How they move down: Following a trickier than it looks matchup vs. former Saints assistant Doug Marrone's Bills, the Saints have bigger traps looming with the above .500 Jets, Cowboys and 49ers.

Why they're here: The Colts have a knack of playing with the big boys, don't they? The Broncos, Seahawks and 49ers make for an impressive resume of wins. As well as Chuck Pagano's staff did without him, he's showing that he's a pretty darn good coach of the year candidate himself.

How they move up: It's time to see some consistency from the Colts, as the Dolphins and Chargers losses were ugly for Andrew Luck. Now that they have done some good interdivision damage, the post-bye focus should be running away with the AFC South. They will need to do it without wide receiver Reggie Wayne, however.

How they move down: Let the Wayne injury and Trent Richardson's inconsistency drag down Luck. He is good enough to make it work with a reshuffled supporting cast.

What's next: at Texans, where they will try to bury the reigning South champions.

Why they're here: The Bengals are becoming that dangerous floater in an overall weak AFC as the Chiefs, Broncos and Colts have gotten more attention. Their gritty, last-second road wins at Buffalo and Detroit should be huge confidence boosts for a young roster.

How they move up: Keep the Red Rifle of Andy Dalton firing on all cylinders. It's taken a while, but Dalton is red-hot working with his bevy of diverse targets. He's quietly rising up the QB charts again.

How they move down: Cincinnati should remember how it got its groove down the stretch in 2012, and not let up against a slew of middle-of-the-road wild-card contenders coming up on the schedule.

What's next: vs. Jets, when they will need to air it out with Dalton again to win.

Why they're here: Aaron Rodgers can pretty much sizzle throwing to anybody, can't he? Enter Jarrett Boykin into the explosive passing game mix, and as usual, Eddie Lacy was ready to pound away on the Browns. Even without Jermichael Finley, the next man up should keep their offense rolling.

How they move up: Rodgers needed the Cleveland performance to break out of a minislump by his lofty standards, and getting a string of division games should get his juices flowing so we keep seeing his old elite self.

How they move down: The defense still has some leaks without Clay Matthews, but they're doing a better job of plugging them. They need to stay strong against the run with some explosive backs on the horizon (Adrian Peterson, Matt Forte, LeSean McCoy).

What's next: at Vikings, where they'll seek some revenge from the 2012 season finale.

Why they're here: The Patriots struggled to find defensive answers when they needed them without their big three (Vince Wilfork, Jerod Mayo, Aqib Talib) in blowing a big road lead on the Jets, before the ill-fated overtime push.

How they move up: The good news is, Rob Gronkowski looked good in his return, and the defense still managed to apply some strong edge pressure. As they work to get healthier where they can (a Week 10 bye helps), it's nice to have two home games.

How they move down: If they don't just unleash Tom Brady. It's understandable that everything in his receiving corps isn't there, but now that Gronk is there to create matchup issues, they need to be more aggressive downfield with No. 12.

What's next: at Dolphins, when they can re-establish their hold on the AFC East.

Why they're here: The Cowboys broke through with a pair of well rounded division performances (over Washington and Philadelphia) to take midseason control of the NFC East. Tony Romo has cooled off a bit, but the defense has come through, even with DeMarcus Ware banged up.

How they move up: They have been up and down, but their losses are all to AFC West teams (Denver, San Diego, Kansas City). Now they'll go to work on staying perfect in NFC play, where some upcoming games (Detroit, New Orleans) can boost their resume.

How they move down: If they get away from at least committing to the run a little more, even with DeMarco Murray on the shelf. Romo needs the semblance of balance to take some pressure off him.

What's next: at Lions, where Dez Bryant can show us whether he's really Megatron-like.

Why they're here: They played the better AFC version of themselves in the Bengals to a draw for most of the game, until they couldn't quite finish, which is a familiar problem from their non-playoff 2012 season. Let's remember three of their wins are against Cleveland, Minnesota and Washington.

How they move up: Deliver in another tough NFC matchup at home (Dallas), like they did with their first one (Chicago).

How they move down: Keep giving up big plays and being run on in key situations to negate all the good things gunslinging Matt Stafford is starting to do with the offense.

Why they're here: While the worry looks like it should be more about losing Jay Cutler from the offense, having an already struggling defense without Lance Briggs is the much larger concern. The big takeaways are being replaced by the big yardage allowed (see Washington).

How they move up: The schedule helped them as Cutler and Briggs can now miss one fewer game. The bye is also valuable to better prepare Josh McCown, who played well in relief, for top QB duty. Their scoring can keep them afloat sans Cutler.

How they move down: If they don't shore up some major fundamental issues in the defense, as the lack of pass rush is exposing an undisciplined back seven. Someone must raise their game and lead with Briggs out and Charles Tillman hurting.

What's next: at Packers, where they will hope to improve their NFC North chances.

Why they're here: The Chargers finally managed to string together two wins, and a talented defense is looking much improved. They avoided falling into the long-distance trap at Jacksonville, as Philip Rivers stayed hot and their running game kept churning to show their best balanced offense of the season.

How they move up: Rivers is known to be streaky, and when he's this way for an extended period, a bye may not be as welcome. On the bright side, it will mean better coaching and health to help him pick up where he left off.

How they move down: The pass defense still has some big cracks on the back end without Dwight Freeney leading the edge rush. They need to fix those fast with Robert Griffin III and Peyton Manning awaiting them.

What's next: at Redskins, where they'll be back in East Coast time after down time.

Why they're here: Rookie QB Geno Smith was not rattled despite a pick-six and sacks from the Patriots, and hung in there at home. He leaned on his running game and defense until the Jets could pull off the overtime shocker.

How they move up: The Jets have seen Smith's confidence, arm and athleticism work at a high level at both home (New England) and road (Atlanta) in challenging environments. For them to be more than a .500 team and push for the AFC's second wild-card, they need to keep running the ball well and set him up for more consistent success.

How they move down: Their defense is nasty against the run, and has a good cornerback, Antonio Cromartie. But it's a bit leaky against the pass, especially with teams that can stretch the field with multiple targets.

What's next: at Bengals, where Smith will see a lot more front-four pressure.

Why they're here: The Dolphins have had a habit of playing a lot of close games that stems from being all over the place offensively and defensively. See quarterback Ryan Tannehill who overcame an awful start to rebound big, only to fall short at the end against the Bills.

How they move up: Keep protecting Tannehill better as they did vs. Buffalo's good pass rush, and maybe Bryant McKinnie will give their offensive line a needed spark. It also helps if they string together a stronger running game to help him, too.

How they move down: The Dolphins have been good against the downfield pass, but tight ends and running backs give them trouble underneath as they have been banged up at linebacker. They need to be careful about it being exploited too much.

What's next: at Patriots, with a chance to get closer to the lead in a muddled AFC East.

Why they're here: The Super Bowl champs have never been below .500 seven games into a season with John Harbaugh as coach and Joe Flacco at quarterback. It's got to sting more that it happened after a tight loss at AFC North archrival Pittsburgh.

How they move up: The Ravens need to find both their running stability and big passes, and the problem has been disappointing line play. There's nothing wrong with their defense, which has kept them in every game except Denver.

How they move down: If they don't get speedy wide receiver Torrey Smith going again to stretch the field and better open up some other offense for Flacco and Ray Rice.

Why they're here: Michael Vick, Nick Foles and now back to Vick. The Eagles fell to 0-3 at home in contrast to 3-1 on the road after their lifeless offensive performance against Dallas, leaving with another injured QB and Chip Kelly going back to the drawing board.

How they move up: Foles sparked the offense for two games before losing it and getting knocked out, and it gives the hamstrung Vick a chance to try his left hand again. Vick needs to be smarter and more efficient as a passer because Kelly should try to limit his running.

How they move down: If their defense has a setback against several more high-powered passing games ahead. It was gritty against Dallas, but still eventually wore down.

What's next: vs. Giants, in a rematch of two disappointing NFC East rivals.

Why they're here: The Bills keep finding a way to score 20-plus points even with EJ Manuel out and C.J. Spiller about to break down with his bad ankles. Their defense keeps putting them in position to steal some close ones with field goals, as they did again in Miami.

How they move up: Their defense has taken over with a ton of sacks and takeaways when they're winning, making up for a lot of injury issues. If they can start putting together complete games without lapses, it's the type of unit that can carry them a bit.

How they move down: If they lose their offensive explosiveness without Manuel's arm and Spiller's legs. There's a lot on Lewis to grind out long drives to put up points.

What's next: at Saints, a difficult NFC opponent they unfortunately draw after a bye.

Why they're here: The Panthers have surged back to .500 as an early bye helped them change the outlook of what began as a bleak season. Their crushing of the Rams made it three-for-three in dominant defensive performances in their victory.

How they move up: Keep Cam Newton in a groove. He's gotten back into a rhythm with multiple receivers, and there's always his running threat. For a change, he's playing very well while Carolina has something to play for, instead of after the fact.

How they move down: If they can't keep up the fight in the NFC South, as a scheduling quirk has meant they have yet to play any division games.

What's next: at Buccaneers, a Thursday affair against a team that swept them in 2012.

Why they're here: The Browns have stumbled twice with Brandon Weeden back as their starting quarterback against the AFC North, losing worse at Green Bay than they did vs. Detroit.

How they move up: Whoever the quarterback is, Josh Gordon and Jordan Cameron need to be involved as playmakers as much as possible. Given there's little pop in the running game, their speed/athleticism combo is Cleveland's only offensive hope.

How they move down: They really can't stick with Weeden much longer, and the lack of long drives is beginning to take it toll on the defense. It's pretty good against the run, but stopping the pass becomes a greater question mark with each passing week.

What's next: at Chiefs, where the struggles to move the ball will come to an ugly head.

Why they're here: Jake Locker and Chris Johnson woke up their offense a little too late against San Francisco, and their aggressive defense struggled against a running quarterback who got the ball out of trouble quickly.

How they move up: Now that Locker is back in the mix, toughing it out, they can't limit him. Their receiving corps is better than it looks, and they need to be more aggressive offensively after the bye.

How they move down: Try to go back to being a run-heavy, more conservative team now that Johnson and Shonn Greene are healthy together. Their defense isn't that good to just play control, as they found out against the 49ers.

Why they're here: The Steelers have won two tough defensive games back-to-back against the Jets and Ravens. As we've seen in the past, until Ben Roethlisberger and Mike Tomlin have their team eliminated from contention, they always will be a threat, regardless of record.

How they move up: Finally, Tomlin has seen the running game going like he envisioned, and much of the credit goes to rookie back Le'Veon Bell. He is better at making the most out of every block, and up front, David DeCastro has looked the part of an elite guard.

How they move down: Their defense has gotten some sacks and takeaways in recent weeks, a big change from early, but there's still something off about their ability to contain opponents in the red zone.

What's next: at Raiders, a typical trap game in the Black Hole for them.

Why they're here: The Falcons had time to reshuffle their lineup during the bye and adapt to their injuries, and showed just that as backups turned starters Harry Douglas and Jacquizz Rodgers helped Matt Ryan in lifting them to a much-needed home win over Tampa Bay.

How they move up: Keep playing aggressive defense. They need to start forcing mistakes from the opposition, and that means forcing the issue with consistent attack mode. Going man with their pass coverage and rush is no longer a luxury they have.

How they move down: If they can't keep Tony Gonzalez a big factor as the new ultimate center of defenses' attention. Fortunately, their next opponent, Arizona, has been gashed by tight ends.

What's next: at Cardinals, where they hope the new-look offense will keep from drying up fast.

Why they're here: Robert Griffin III is doing the running and passing we loved from his rookie season, and the knee has become less of an issue. The Bears found that out as he made all the right decisions in a Week 7 shootout win.

How they move up: If they can get any kind of defensive impact with their blitzing ways. That was the underrated part of their 2012 turnaound, and we saw that just one play (see the Brian Orakpo pick six) can make the slightest difference to help the offense.

How they move down: They really get into the meat of their schedule, as even the remaining sub-.500 opponents, Vikings, Eagles, Giants and Falcons can give their defense considerable problems.

What's next: at Broncos, where Mike Shanahan will return to try to trump John Elway and Peyton Manning with RG3.

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Houston Texans (2-5)

Last week: 18

Why they're here: They fought hard to steal a tight, defensive struggle in Kansas City with confident play from Case Keenum, but once again, little mistakes with ball/pass protection on top of more injuries (Arian Foster, Brian Cushing) did them in.

How they move up: The Texans have a busy bye to heal up in some areas and work hard at fixing all the things they have turned them from division champ to playoff long shot. They're still talented enough to get on a roll.

How they move down: As good as Keenum looked, the offense was more limited than Matt Schaub at his best. Either they need to let Keenum loose with an expansive playbook, or hope that a healthy Schaub can return to more efficient, explosive form.

What's next: vs. Colts in Week 9, a make or break opportunity against the current AFC South favorites.

Why they're here: The Raiders slid just a tad as some teams behind them did some good work during their bye. Coming out of it, they're looking at a big challenge to inch back into contention in a tough division where everyone else is a combined 17-4.

How they move up: It's on Terrelle Pryor to build on his strong first half and come out ready to carry the team like he thinks he can, both running and passing. He's the A factor.

How they move down: If they can't better protect Pryor with both line play and someone else to stay healthy and deliver in the running game. Ideally, they need to come through with that kind of ball control to shield their defense, too.

What's next: vs. Steelers, in a classic throwback AFC matchup.

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Arizona Cardinals (3-4)

Last week: 22

Why they're here: The Cardinals' offense got overmatched by Seattle, another defense with physical corners and a deep pass rush, at home last Thursday night. When Carson Palmer to Larry Fitzgerald isn't working, little else does.

How they move up: They have had extended time to make some adjustments to their offense. Given how Palmer has little time to throw and how teams look to bottle up Fitzgerald first, they need to get both running back Andre Ellington and tight end Rob Housler a lot more involved.

How they move down: If their defense gets frustrated with the offense putting them on the field too long and not in position to tee off with the pass rush. It's a one-sided team hoping for just a little more pop to get back to and stay above .500.

What's next: vs. Falcons, a game for the birds that looks a lot more winnable than it was.

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St. Louis Rams (3-4)

Last week: 21

Why they're here: The Rams got shellshocked in Carolina, as the Panthers defense both shut them down and knocked out Sam Bradford for the rest of 2013. Bradford had kept them in games even when their defense was getting rolled by the run and frustrated by the pass, both on display last Sunday.

How they move up: Get some kind of spark, either from backup quarterback Kellen Clemens, or from the fact that the St. Louis Cardinals are back in the World Series in their own backyard. Otherwise, it's going to be tough avoiding a freefall.

How they move down: Clemens plays like we expect Clemens to play, especially facing a brutal schedule of swarming defenses.

What's next: vs. Seahawks, when Clemens will face the glare of Monday night lights while the Cardinals could be playing Game 5 right down the street.

Why they're here: The Giants didn't exactly play lights out in getting their elusive first victory on Monday night, but it's true their defense shut down Adrian Peterson and didn't give up any points. That was a key development, as was the weird spark provided by newcomer Peyton Hillis with not-so dazzling running or receiving.

How they move up: Have the defense build on that performance, as Jason Pierre-Paul had a little more pep in his step and the pass defenders were rangier in coverage and after the catch. They need to take more of the burden with the offense struggling.

How they move down: If they can't get someone other than Victor Cruz to be reliable for Eli Manning. With Hakeem Nicks, Rueben Randle and Brandon Myers, there should be more guys to move the chains and get into the end zone.

What's next: at Eagles, where they will try to avenge a home loss to Michael Vick.

Why they're here: Their decision to trot out Josh Freeman early as their starting quarterback backfired in the worst possible way. He was awful and not ready against the Giants, and dragged his receivers and Adrian Peterson down with the ship.

How they move up: Remember they have Peterson in the backfield and not try to force this new downfield passing identity just because they have some speed receivers. At least Christian Ponder knew to feed Peterson often and rely much on tight end Kyle Rudolph.

How they move down: If they can't restore the defensive help they gave to the quarterback last year, their quarterback decision just won't matter. Their talent up front shouldn't be setting them up to be ripped by the run and getting torched on backend.

What's next: vs. Packers on Sunday night, where their issues will be hung out to dry again in prime time.

Why they're here: The Buccaneers should be pleased with the way rookie quarterback Mike Glennon has improved the past two weeks, even if there's a long way to go with his progress. Unfortunately, as much as they keep stuffing the run and have a good secondary, they still fell apart vs. the pass in Atlanta.

How they move up: Get a spark from another Mike, running back James, who might need to step in for Doug Martin for a while. They keep knocking on the door for a win, and if the all-around discipline doesn't come under Greg Schiano soon, Schiano will be out the door.

How they move down: There have been a lot of frustrating, ill-timed breakdowns for a team that, on the surface, is pretty talented. If the players decide to fold under Schiano like it happened under Raheem Morris, they'll surpass Jacksonville as the NFL's true Florida embarrassment.

What's next: vs. Panthers, when they will hope a short week won't turn into another long one.

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Jacksonville Jaguars (0-7)

Last week: 31

Why they're here: The Jaguars put up their dukes in Denver, so it had to be disappointing how they came out flat at home against San Diego and were never really competitive in a more lopsided loss. With the unquestioned worst record, they're back in the worst spot (or best for the draft).

How they move up: Given how bad the Buccaneers and Vikings have been, just scratching out a win somewhere can push them out of the cellar. It likely won't happen until after their Week 9 bye.

What's next: vs. 49ers in London, where they will try hard to change their fortunes overseas against the much farther traveling reigning NFC champions.